A month after I last posted on Elena Ferrante's four-volume Neapolitan series, and there's no longer any point in pretending that I will be able to write what I'd once hoped to. Goofily, however, I'm not quite ready to give up on having a really satisfying conversation about these books, which have so deeply engaged me, which provoke so much thinking about womanhood, friendship, motherhood, and how those three conditions or states interact and how much they're inflected by the cultural context. As well, so much to think about stylistically and structurally. . .
I have this foolish idea that I may try to organise a read-along of the first novel in the series, My Brilliant Friend, not until Pater and I have moved into our new home in September, but something that takes a manageable approach to reading and posting, perhaps a chapter at a time. . . I'm hoping to draw more readers over from my other blog, but I want to do some planning first so that I don't get myself caught up in commitments I can't meet.
For now, I apologise profusely, but I'm reneging on my promise to write more about the Neapolitan series -- it's either that or sneak away from the blog in shame and never post my reading again, and I'm not ready to do that. In fact, tomorrow I'm going to give you my list of What I've Read So Far in 2016, since we're now halfway through the year -- maybe we can compare notes. Meanwhile, to round out our conversation about Ferrante for the moment here are some thoughts fellow reader Dottoressa sent me by email quite some time ago, with my apologies for taking so long to share them with you:
I have this foolish idea that I may try to organise a read-along of the first novel in the series, My Brilliant Friend, not until Pater and I have moved into our new home in September, but something that takes a manageable approach to reading and posting, perhaps a chapter at a time. . . I'm hoping to draw more readers over from my other blog, but I want to do some planning first so that I don't get myself caught up in commitments I can't meet.
For now, I apologise profusely, but I'm reneging on my promise to write more about the Neapolitan series -- it's either that or sneak away from the blog in shame and never post my reading again, and I'm not ready to do that. In fact, tomorrow I'm going to give you my list of What I've Read So Far in 2016, since we're now halfway through the year -- maybe we can compare notes. Meanwhile, to round out our conversation about Ferrante for the moment here are some thoughts fellow reader Dottoressa sent me by email quite some time ago, with my apologies for taking so long to share them with you:
As I said once before, Ferrante writes so intense,so brusquely,there is no embelishment,only reality,naked truth. Without exempt,she is unfeigned and cruel to anyone,herself in the first place.
Thinking about her books my feelings and impressions often change,there are so many facets in her descriptions of personal relationships
Elena and Lila,two friends,seem to find the missing part one in the other,they exist like yin and yang,intertwined from the beginning to the end ,needing the other one like a mirror,inspiration,appreciation,finding their strenghts. They are best friends as well as rivals,they compete and help each other with ambivalent feelings .
They are often in confrontation with everyone,cruel to the wold,family ,lovers,husbands,inlaws.
It was tough time to be a girl in Naples, but Elena(author?),due to her inteligence and hard work,desperate because of the lack of her family support, struggles through the reality of Naples and Italy,south and north,social effervescence,struggling through classes and Italy itself. This world is brutal,raw,even ugly
She writes rarely about happiness,it is all drama ,pain,fear.insecurities. Her characters seem to be afraid to show love ,showing love is like showing weakness and than there must be some punishment waiting in the future.
Men characters are mostly weak,unreliable,even when they have the power of money,position,connections family support,even when they are brutal,driven by passion (I am not sure would love be proper word for their emotions),wish for possessing,revenge,greed…
Women are (or have to be )strong,or they lose everything,respect,selfrespect,support,even sane mind. They are often driven by strong,fatal feelings,feelings that threat to destroy(or are destroying) their future.
I find very interesting to observe Elena's and Lila's relations with their children. There are no median in their feelings,from insensibility,even neglect to obsessive love or temporary hate.
I could write for hours….
When I was 15,16 years old, in 1974 or 1975 I visited Naples with my parents.I am very sorry now that this trip was blurred with Rome,Capri and Pompei,more interesting for a young girl, but in my memories stayed beautiful colours,light,music and indefinite fear(we were alarmed by our guide not to walk alone or in small groups in the dark)